What is the significance of Jaffa in the Bible?

Response

Jaffa, known as Joppa in biblical times, is a Mediterranean port city in Israel, located approximately 34 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Today, Jaffa is part of modern Tel Aviv in the southern section. The Hebrew name of the city translates to “beautiful.” Jaffa is referenced multiple times in the Scriptures and was the backdrop for many significant biblical occurrences.

Jaffa or Joppa is initially mentioned in the book of Joshua during the conquest of the Promised Land. The tribe of Dan’s territory included the coastal city of Jaffa “and Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho.”, (Joshua 19:46). Despite the Danites’ unsuccessful attempts to displace the inhabitants, “the coast of the children of Dan was too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.”, (Joshua 19:47). Jaffa remained unoccupied by Israel until the reigns of David and Solomon.

During Solomon’s construction of the temple and his palace, he utilized cedar wood from Lebanon. King Hiram of Tyre transported the cedar logs to Jaffa (1 Kings 5:6;2 Chronicles 2:16). When the Israelites reconstructed the temple following their return from the Babylonian Exile, they once again requested cedar wood from Lebanon to be delivered via Jaffa “They provided funds to the masons and carpenters; and food, drink, and oil to those in Zidon and Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus.”

In the book of Ezra, we learn about the king of Persia. «And they gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. », (Ezra 3:7).

The prophet Jonah is famously known for trying to escape from the Lord by boarding a ship at Jaffa’s port. Jonah’s intention was to sail towards Tarshish in Spain. «But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. », (Jonah 1:3). Tarshish was the opposite direction of where God had instructed Jonah to go: Nineveh in Assyria. «Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. », (Jonah 1:2). Despite Jonah’s disobedience in sailing away from Jaffa, he ultimately ended up where God wanted him to be, as God intervened and directed the reluctant prophet on the right path (Jonah 1:16-17).

In the New Testament, the apostle Peter spent a considerable amount of time in Jaffa. «And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.», (Acts 9:43). During his visit to the town of Lydda, the believers in Jaffa summoned him to the coastal city due to the passing of Tabitha (also known as Dorcas), a follower of Christ (Acts 9:32,36-38). Upon Peter’s arrival, he was led to where Tabitha’s body lay. He fervently prayed to the Lord and, in faith, commanded her to rise. «But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when sheWhen Peter saw Tabitha, she sat up. », (Acts 9:40). The Lord resurrected Tabitha back to life, and because of this miraculous sign, many people in Jaffa placed their faith in Christ (Acts 9:41-42).

While staying with Simon the tanner in Jaffa, Peter received a vision from the Lord commanding him to eat all kinds of food and declaring all foods to be clean (Acts 10:10-16). The Lord’s command to Peter to “not call anything impure that God has made clean” «And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. », (Acts 10:15) showed two things: 1) the Mosaic dietary laws (see Leviticus 11) had been fulfilled in Christ, and 2) salvation in Christ was extended to the Gentiles. Immediately following the vision, Peter was able to see God’s impartiality regarding salvation when he preached the gospel to the Gentile centurion Cornelius, who believed (Acts 10:34-48). Later, when Peter gave his report to the believers in Jerusalem about his experience at Jaffa, they marveled that God had granted salvation not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles (Acts 11:1-18).

From being a shipping hub for the cedars of Lebanon, to being the site of some amazing miracles in the apostolic age, the seaport city of Jaffa, or Joppa, has a rich biblical history.